Launch of new Australian Guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk

Banner with words: New Australian Guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk and Aus CVD Risk Calculator. Access now at cvdcheck.org.au

The 2023 Australian Guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk, and associated Australian cardiovascular disease risk calculator (Aus CVD Risk Calculator), will become the new standard of care for the primary prevention of CVD in Australia. This is the first major update to Australian CVD risk assessment guidelines in over a decade, distilling evidence from multidisciplinary clinical and consumer groups to inform recommendations.

The new Aus CVD Risk Calculator, which has been uniquely modified and recalibrated for the Australian population, replaces the Framingham-based 2012 CVD risk calculator for a more accurate CVD risk assessment.

Supported by funding from the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Heart Foundation has led the development of the new guideline and accompanying calculator on behalf of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA), represented in this project by Diabetes Australia, Kidney Health Australia and Stroke Foundation.

Endorsed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the new guideline offers clinicians practical advice and tools to facilitate shared decision-making with their patients.

The new guideline:

  • Has been endorsed by the RACGP
  • Includes the new Aus CVD Risk Calculator, which has been modified and recalibrated for the Australian population
  • Provides new advice on reclassification factors like family history, ethnicity, coronary artery calcium, renal impairment and severe mental illness
  • Has a new emphasis on communicating risk, with built-in patient decision support tools

Access the guideline, the Aus CVD Risk Calculator and other important resources: cvdcheck.org.au.